Plea for residents to support Surfleet’s Glen Park with £12 annual fee

Surfleet residents are being asked to foot a £12 rise in their Council Tax bill in an attempt to keep Glen Park running.

The park committee has sent out letters asking villagers to attend a public meeting tonight (Thursday), where they will be able to vote on a proposed rise in the parish precept – the parish council’s part of the Council Tax bill.

The letter says: “Work on developing the park was started 20 years ago by a small group of volunteers who have managed and maintained it ever since entirely through their own fundraising efforts – a total of £1.7m to date.

“The cost of upkeep such as repairs, grass cutting, tree felling, litter removal, safety work, electricity, insurance, replacement items and planting etc, amounts to between £18,000 and £25,000 a year.

“But up to now the park’s only income of around £29,000 a year has been from the all-weather pitch, of which £10,000 has to be spent on maintaining it to its present high standard.

“To keep Glen Park for future generations, it’s clear that additional regular and reliable income is needed and the only realistic source is through the support of local residents via the Parish Precept (currently 20p per household).

“But because Glen Park needs to raise an extra £12 per household per year, legally parishioners have to demonstrate their support by voting at a public meeting to authorise the parish council to increase the precept.

“As a resident of Surfleet, this will be your chance to have your say about Glen Park and to help decide its future, so we hope you will make every effort to attend.”

The letter was posted on Facebook site Spotted: Spalding, where support was obvious.

Laura Jackson said: “As a regular user of the park, I would be more than happy to fork out an extra £1 a month. We spend hours there with my little boy and it would cost me more than that in fuel to have to drive to the next nearest decent park on a regular basis.”

Hazel Alles said: “We’re part way through buying a house in Surfleet. One of the key attractions is the park, £12 is a small price for the benefit we’d get as a family.”

Kai Fenner said: “Add a little tax to Spalding residents as it’s an asset to the whole area, best green area for miles, will be a big shame if it’s lost.”

Voting slips will be available at the meeting. Anyone who is unable to attend but who would still like to vote can obtain a form by emailing glenpark.surfleet@hotmail.co.uk